Ex-lord mayor says Home Office at fault for riots

Habib Rahman believes inequalities have led to people being "sucked in" to supporting far-right demonstrations

A former lord mayor has criticised the Home Office for not dispelling myths about asylum seekers in the wake of the violent disorder seen across the UK.

Councillor Habib Rahman, who came to Newcastle from Bangladesh more than 40 years ago, says there needs to be a "sensible, grown-up debate" on immigration and thinks people with legitimate concerns have been "sucked into" supporting demonstrations organised by the far right.

The Elswick ward councillor condemned the riots that have taken place around north-east England over the past week, and attributed the violence to "misinformation".

The Home Office has been approached for comment.

Mr Rahman told BBC Radio Newcastle people were right to "echo their frustration" at the "huge inequality in our society".

He cited issues such as youth unemployment, educational attainment and a "lack of future" as reasons for individuals believing misinformation about asylum seekers and refugees.

"When someone is faced with those deep inequalities, a lot of the time they're sucked into supporting the far-right movement," he said.

'Nonsense'

Mr Rahman believes immigration "is a problem" but that there is a lot of misunderstanding about asylum seekers.

"When I hear people say people who enter our shores are getting a house, a car, a fridge, hundreds of pounds - [this is] nonsense," he said.

"The Home Office, the government, needs to explicitly put it out that if you enter this country and seek asylum, no, you don't get luxuries."

Mr Rahman became Newcastle's first Muslim lord mayor in 2021 and quit the Labour Party earlier this year in protest over its stance on the Israel-Gaza war, labelling the party a "culture of institutional racism".

"I'm a migrant," the former lord mayor continued. "I've lived here for the last 40-odd years.

"Britain is my country, Newcastle is my city - it's my home. I know I've shaped and contributed, and without immigration, we will collapse."